


Tempered in Fire

by luminousblade



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amaterasu is sick of him screwing everything up so she's fixing it, Fix-It, M/M, Madara deserves nice things, Other, Protective Tobirama, The Sage of Six Paths was a Shitty Father, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:02:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24886534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luminousblade/pseuds/luminousblade
Summary: Peace should have begun settling over the Shinobi world with the construction of the first ninja village, should have been assured with the uniting of the Senju and Uchiha clans.  Instead, the Senju have all but disappeared and the Uchiha, her children, herChosen, had continued to face distrust and open hostility before betrayal, from several sides, had seen all but a few massacred. Now, in the aftermath of the Fourth Shinobi War, Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun and Patron Deity of the Uchiha has had enough.  Resetting the timeline in order to restore the balance and fix the damage caused by one man playing at God, she will ensure her children have all the help necessary to do more than just survive.  It would just be best for anyone who doesn't like it to stay out of her way.
Relationships: Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara
Comments: 64
Kudos: 489
Collections: Lovely Pieces





	1. Time For a Change

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kalira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/gifts), [UnknownRegion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownRegion/gifts), [KeanBlade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeanBlade/gifts).



> This is a giftfic for Kalira, who first got me into reading Tobirama/Madara fics, UnknownRegion, whose story The Moon Is White sucked me in and forever changed the way I saw Madara and KeanBlade who wrote about the Uchiha revering Amaterasu and gave me _Ideas_. I wouldn't be attempting to write this if it wasn't for each of you so I'm fully okay with saying this is all your fault.
> 
> *Notes on the Sage of Six Paths and who his sons Asura and Indra are can be found in the ending notes for anyone who needs it.

“From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring…” — J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Fellowship of the Ring_

Amaterasu stood, gazing out over the destruction left in the wake of Zetsu's manipulations and the so called Fourth Shinobi War. So much needless death and destruction...and for what? Power and the illusion of peace. There was no need for _any_ of this. Peace should have begun settling over the Shinobi world with the construction of the first ninja village, should have been assured with the uniting of the Senju and Uchiha clans. Instead, the Senju had all but disappeared and her children, her _Chosen_ , had continued to face distrust and open hostility before betrayal, from several sides, had seen all but a few _massacred_. The injustice of it all was almost more than she could comprehend. Unseen by mortal eyes, Amaterasu walked slowly across the torn up and crater marked field, tears falling unheeded down her face as she struggled to accept the overwhelming loss. 

How had this all come to pass? How had everything managed to go so horribly wrong? Coming to a stop in order to watch a group of survivors, injured and weary in both body and spirit, search amongst the fallen for any missed signs of life, the Goddess felt the anguish that had so quickly overtaken her begin to ebb as a new emotion rushed in to take its place. This could _not_ stand. Drawing herself up, Amaterasu turned away from the desolation and retreated from the mortal plane with barely a thought. She may not know how the world had ended up so badly off track but she did have a good idea as to why. And she was absolutely _Furious_. 

Both several hours and an instant later, Amaterasu strode out into the spiritual plane, dry eyed and resolved, towards a solitary figure sitting, relaxed and unconcerned, under a large tree. A ripple at the edge of his awareness pulled the Sage of Six Paths out of his latest machinations and he looked up to see the Goddess of the Sun bearing down on him, anger radiating off of her in palpable waves. This...did not bode well.

“ _You_. This is all _your_ fault!”

Clearing his throat, the Sage hastily got to his feet. “I'm afraid I don't know what you-”

Waving a hand next to her, Amaterasu opened a window to the mortal plane and the desolation she had just left behind. “ _Do. Not. Lie. To. Me_.”

“Ah. Yes. That is...most unfortunate. I am afraid, however, that it simply could not be helped. The cycle must continue and while I am disappointed that things haven't yet worked out the way I'd like, I have great hope for the next one and I'm sure it will-”

“No.”

Blinking a little at the interruption, it took a moment for the Sage to collect his now scattered thoughts enough to reply. “I'm sorry but what do you mean 'no'.”

“It means there will be no more ' _cycles_ '; no more failed attempts at peace due to your _meddling_ and complete inability to leave your sons' spirits _alone_.” 

“Now you see here,” the Sage bit back, drawing himself up like an affronted cat, “everything I have done, I have done for the sake of peace! There are lessons that need to be learned and the only way it can be done properly is with both of my sons together. I will admit that things may have gotten a little out of hand with this last reincarnation but that was in no way my fault. Indra has always been a problem, its why he needs Asura around; to temper and control his less desirable traits while providing an example of what he should be striving to become.” Letting out a disgruntled huff, the Sage eyed Amaterasu like she was a child in need of schooling. “The fates didn't even have Asura slated to be reborn in the same age, let alone on the same continent, as his brother this time around so of course I had to get involved. How will Indra ever learn to be a better person without his brother there to provide him with a shining example? Honestly, if you would have just left me to handle it the way I saw fit to, mistakes like that would never have been made in the first place. What Indra needs-”

Amaterasu had heard more than enough. “ _Indra needs NOTHING from you_!” 

Eyes wide with shock, the Sage recoiled from the rage he could hear in the Goddess' words.

“From his very first breath, Indra was _mine_ ; the first of my children, the first to prove himself worthy of receiving my favor and the gifts I had to bestow. He was to be-” 

The Sage scoffed. “He was to be nothing but trouble; completely disregarding the tenets of my teachings and incapable of both loyalty and the necessary humility to admit Asura was the better choice of heir. Instead, to my great shame and disappointment, he failed-”

Shoving a finger in the Sage's face, Amaterasu began stalking forward, forcing the man to back away or risk losing an eye. “Indra's only failure was in having _you_ as a father. Is was _your failure_ in sealing your mother away properly that allowed part of her to remain free. It was _your failure_ and inattention that allowed that part of her the time and opportunity to begin poisoning Indra's mind. It was _your failure_ , as both a _person_ and a _parent_ , in not noticing that something was wrong; instead more than willing to believe the worst of your own son without hesitation. It was _your failure_ and refusal to consider that there is more than just your way to achieve peace that chased him away. It was _your failure_ that started this _entire_ unnecessary chain of events and it is your _continuing failure_ to _mind your own business_ that has led to more death and caused more suffering than any other person in the entire _history of creation_!”

Back hitting the trunk of the tree he so often sat under to make his plans, the Sage of Six Paths could admit to feeling more than a little trepidation at the blatant fury being directed his way. The very literal flames now dancing over and around the head and shoulders of the Goddess in front of him may also have been of some concern. Regardless, with a little time to regroup he was sure he could find a way to salvage this situation, perhaps even turn it back to his own favor...and then Amaterasu smiled and all thoughts of how best to benefit himself and his plans shattered with near audible finality. Manacles appeared and snapped around his neck and each of his limbs while chains rimmed in blue fire shot out of the ground at the Sage's feet and wrapped around him before attaching themselves to his newly acquired accessories. Sinking to the ground under the unexpected weight, the Sage called his chakra forth in an attempt to seek out any weakness in the bindings only to feel himself fill with dread as every last bit of it simply...drained away, leaving him with nothing. Centuries worth of hoarded power gone between one breath and the next. Opening his mouth to demand an explanation, the Sage recoiled in shock as Amaterasu gestured and he found himself muzzled and unable to utter more than unintelligible noises in affront. 

Letting out a sigh of satisfaction, the Sun Goddess gracefully knelt on the ground before the now powerless so called Sage of Six Paths and took a moment to arrange the fall of fabric around her legs to her satisfaction before looking back up with hardened eyes.

“There, that's ever so much better. Now, let me tell you what's going to happen. Because of your actions and unbelievable ego in thinking you knew better than fate and the _actual_ Gods of creation, the balance of the mortal plane has been thrown into utter disarray. Too many have died for your hubris, _many_ before their time and without having accomplished their intended purpose. It had already been decided that things could not be allowed to continue as they are but it wasn't until the fallout from your latest failed attempt to meddle became apparent that a resolution was decided upon.”

Leaning forward a little, Amaterasu gifted the bound nuisance in front of her a smile that had entirely too many teeth, all a great deal sharper than they should be, and watched with a great deal of satisfaction as he rapidly paled. “I'm going to undo all of the changes you made in regards to Indra's last reincarnation. Every subversion of fate's design, every attempt to arrange the world and all those in it to _your_ specifications will be undone. You have interfered for the _last_ time.” Grin growing impossibly wide, the Goddess leaned forward. “We're playing by _my_ rules now and I'm going to show the world what being the Chosen of Amaterasu _really_ means. Madara, like Indra before him, is _mine_ and you will come to regret every offense, every transgression that he was forced to endure because of your high handed actions. You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to it.”

Standing, Amaterasu ignored the inarticulate sounds of rage coming from the bound man in front of her as she brushed off her dress and made ready to leave. Turning, she walked half a dozen steps before suddenly stopping. 

“Oh, before I forget.” With a careless gesture, a window to watch the mortal plane appeared within the Sage's line of sight. “I wouldn't want you to miss the show.” 

The scream that followed her as she left the spiritual plane behind was music to her ears.


	2. Recruitment and Reassurance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say I'm just blown away by the response to the first chapter; I seriously wasn't expecting it at all! Thank you all so much! This chapter fought me a little because I had an original vision for how it would go and then Amaterasu said, 'haha. No.' and then people that weren't even supposed to show up until much later just had to butt in and put their own two cents in and well, there went my original plan. >.< Hopefully next chapter won't decide to be as difficult!

As much as Amaterasu would have liked to put her plans into motion immediately, there was still more to be done before she could start with entirely too much at stake for her to risk rushing things. She was a Goddess for creation's sake; she could be patient even if the necessity of it was galling. Pausing at the crossroads between realms, she went over her mental to do list before firmly rearranging it by order of importance rather than sentimentality. Much like her chosen children, Amaterasu could readily admit she often allowed her heart to lead the way but, in this instance, practicality and the need to secure an essential part of her plans would have to come first. Mind made up, she strode forward and over the threshold into the Pure Lands, making her way quickly towards the soul she needed to speak with. Her inability to sense any Uchiha as she traversed the paths was yet another grim reminder that the balance had been badly upset, her children instead stuck in the middle realms, burdened with unfinished business and innumerable regrets; entirely too much of both to ever allow them to move on.

Rounding a bend in the path, Amaterasu stopped in surprise at the sight of a door before opening it and peering inside; the one she sought was seated at a table covered in notes with experiments in varying stages of completion spread throughout the remainder of the space. Huffing a little in amusement, she entered and allowed the door to fall shut behind her; of course he was spending his afterlife in a laboratory, why would she have expected anything else? Fully cognizant that the original occupant of the room was aware of her presence, if not who she was, Amaterasu remained silent, content to wait the other out as she meandered around looking at anything that caught her attention. Much sooner than expected, a soft sound of annoyance followed by the rustling of papers interrupted her contemplation of an elaborate chakra trap.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

Smirking in amusement, Amaterasu schooled her features into something more benign before straightening up and turning around. The look of surprise, not entirely stifled, was more than a little satisfying. 

“As a matter of fact, there is.” Inclining her head, she allowed a tiny smile to grace her lips. “How kind of you to offer Senju-San. Or may I call you Tobirama-Sama?”

Amaterasu watched as a mask of neutrality replaced the brief lapse of control and in short order she found herself seated at a small table with a cup of tea as her host fell back on long ingrained manners in an effort to regain his equilibrium. Once everything was arranged to his satisfaction, and it was obvious there would be no more of a reprieve, the white haired Senju sat stiffly in his own chair and met the gaze of the Goddess head on.

“May I ask what the patron Goddess of the Uchiha has need of from a Senju?”

“Would you like the long or the short explanation?”

“The short explanation should suffice.”

“Very well.”

Looking into eyes the same red as her own, Amaterasu took a small sip of the tea she had been offered, humming a little in pleasure at the taste, before she decided that nothing less than a direct approach would do. “The Sage of Six Paths is a narcissistic asshole whose parenting techniques make your father's approach to the same look like the ideal standard and his interference in the natural order of things has caused enough unforgivable damage that I'm getting ready to reset the timeline in order to fix the balance. I'd like your help in doing so.” Pausing to take another sip of tea and peruse the plate of snacks Tobirama had also provided, Amaterasu selected a delicate looking wafer cookie before continuing. “I figure we'll go right some wrongs, bash various clan heads together, save some people, kill a great many more, and just generally stick our noses in everyone's business all while working towards _actual_ peace rather than one man's ineffectual facsimile of peace. So, are you in or out?” 

If the situation were less serious, Amaterasu might have congratulated herself for shattering Tobirama's calm facade so completely as he sat, wide eyed and gaping in shock. Well, perhaps a small congratulation was in order; one must take life's little pleasures as they come after all. Finishing off what was really an excellent cup of tea, Amaterasu took a bite of the cookie she'd selected before refilling her cup from the tea pot and settling herself more comfortably in her seat to wait. Tobirama was visibly struggling to come up with an appropriate response and after opening and closing his mouth a couple of times, he slouched down into his seat in obvious disgruntlement. 

“Perhaps a longer explanation would prove more beneficial in this instance.”

Amaterasu shot him a look full of amusement and then stilled with a thoughtful expression as an idea came to her. Standing, she held one pale hand out in offering. “How would you like to see it for yourself instead?”  
***************************************************************************************************************************

The place Tobirama was led to was devoid of any decoration and featured what looked like a still pool of clear water ringed in unfamiliar runes. Gesturing for him to join her, Amaterasu knelt at the water's edge and waited for him to do the same before explaining.

“While some Gods might like to claim omnipotence, that isn't actually a talent we possess so, to make up for the things we inevitably miss, all past events are recorded and stored in a vast repository of knowledge. This is one of several spaces where one may access and view the contents of the repository as needed.” 

Tobirama watched, fascinated, as Amaterasu drew a finger over the surface of the water and the face of a man with horn like protrusions on his forehead and deep lines on his cheeks appeared in its wake. With a look of disgust, the Goddess gestured at the image. “Meet the self styled Sage of Six Paths, the man whose manipulations have necessitated resetting the timeline; I have set the viewing pool to show you the necessary portions of his history from before he retreated from the mortal plane to give you context; it will then move on to show you the actions he has since undertaken along with the ensuing results. Any questions or requests for additional details can be directed at the pool once the playback of events has finished and the surface is clear once more, just keep in mind that any potential answers are limited by events that have already taken place.” 

Amaterasu stood and backed away from the pool. “If you don't have any questions for me, I will leave you to do your viewing in peace as there is someone else I need to speak with in the meantime; I will return here once I'm done.” 

“Not at the moment, thank you, but perhaps when I'm done.”

Getting a nod in acknowledgment, Tobirama didn't bother to watch the Goddess leave before turning his gaze towards the surface of the pool and the picture of the Sage that remained on its surface. 

“Begin.”  
************************************************************************************************************************************

Once out of the space that held the viewing pool, Amaterasu moved down into the middle realms where it took barely a tendril of power to point her in the direction of her next quarry. Much like when they were alive, the Uchiha had been set apart from the other inhabitants of the realm and were settled together behind walls that were at least twice as high as those that had surrounded their compound in Konohagakure. If that wasn't a good indication of how things stood with her poor mistreated children, Amaterasu would eat her favorite pair of embroidered slippers. 

Walking without hesitation through the gates that opened at her approach, the Goddess strode down the main thoroughfare giving greetings and offering words of comfort to all those that gathered to watch her pass. When a child she recognized broke away from the crowds and took off running in the direction of her target, Amaterasu knew the purpose of her visit had been ascertained so, with apologies and promises to return, she quickly excused herself from those still waiting to speak with her and hurried on. At the end of an overgrown path, out past the farthest line of buildings was a small minkan that had obviously seen better days; the roof was sagging, many of the windows were bare and the engawa had holes in it where the wood had rotted away. It certainly wouldn't have surprised her to know it featured prominently in stories designed to spook others. And yet, despite its ramshackle appearance, the house was still far more welcoming than the furious expression on Izuna Uchiha's face as he came storming out to stand, arms crossed, in front of the door.  
**************************************************************************************************************************************

As the last picture faded from the viewing pool, Tobirama sat in silence, feeling as though his entire worldview had been tilted on its axis. It was one thing to have a vague understanding of what the Sun Goddess has spoken of and another to have all of the details, with unmistakable clarity and candor. It was also painful, unbelievably so, to know that his younger brothers had been nothing but disposable pawns in the Sage's campaign to arrange the world to his liking. He certainly couldn't even pretend to hate the Uchiha anymore; they'd been manipulated and used more than anyone. Though with what he knew now, a great many of Hashirama's decisions and behavior made more sense...and that was a thought he needed to set aside for another time if he wanted to try and coax more answers out of the repository. A mind clouded with anger certainly wouldn't going to help him right now, especially with what he planned on asking next so, taking a moment to just breathe, Tobirama settled himself as much as possible and turned his attention back to the pool.

“What can you tell me about Madara Uchiha?”  
*************************************************************************************************************************************

It was a good thing that Amaterasu had a soft spot for her children, as well as a deep well of patience, or by the time Izuna was done yelling out all his anger and frustration at her, she might have been tempted to try and teach him some manners. It was hard to get mad over the disrespect, however, when under all the anger she could clearly see how upset and worried he was. So, here she stood, silent and unmoving until with a low sound of anguish, Izuna abruptly deflated and summed up all his frustrations with two final words.

“Just... _why_?”

Walking swiftly forward, Amaterasu wrapped Izuna in her arms and just held him as he started to cry. This was something that no one had ever seemed to understand about the Uchiha; they loved so fiercely, so completely, that there really was nothing they wouldn't do for those that had their regard. The strength of Izuna's love for his brother was of no surprise to Amaterasu, nor was the impotent anger and feelings of helplessness he was suffering through at the knowledge that there was truly nothing he could do to make things right. And then, as Izuna began to calm himself down, he took a deep breath and said something that shocked her to her core.

“I don't know exactly what happened at that last battle before he showed up here but Anija isn't doing well at all. He...he remembers _everything_ ; all the lives and deaths and everything in between. He remembers being _Indra_.”

Amaterasu would later swear she felt the universe stop before rage unlike anything she'd ever known, never would have thought herself capable of, filled her in a blinding rush. That _utter BASTARD_. She was going to back to that blasted tree and rip his entrails out through his _nostrils_. First though, she had someone much more important in need of her time and attention. 

“Where is he?”

“The last room down past the kitchen on the left.” 

Leaning back a just enough to place a gentle kiss on Izuna's forehead Amaterasu then eased him out of her embrace and moved around him towards the house. She had one foot over the threshold before Izuna spoke again.

“You're going to help him, right?”

“You have my word, Izuna; I'm going to fix _everything_.”  
**********************************************************************************************************************************

Madara was right where his brother said he would be but if she hadn't known who he was, hadn't felt the surety of his existence in her very being, Amaterasu never would have recognized him. Finding him tucked away in the farthest corner, hunched over in an effort to make himself look smaller, to look so much _less_ than what he actually was, was bad enough but the broken look in his eyes screamed of so much desolation that it was as if the very heart of him had been shattered. Amaterasu knew that every Shinobi, no matter their strength or determination or training, would inevitably find their breaking point, that one thing that just proved to be too much; it was unavoidable. With time and assistance they could usually find their way back from that precipice but Madara wasn't just laboring under the hurt and trauma of a single lifetime; he was drowning under the accumulated trauma of _hundreds_. 

Madara wearily raised his head as Amaterasu sat down next to him and as she gathered him to her he let out a broken sob. Smoothing a hand down over the wild tangle of his hair, the Sun Goddess began humming a lullaby as she waited for the exhaustion evident in every line of Madara's body to catch up with him. Then, once asleep, she reached down in to the farthest reaches of his mind and gently began working to tuck away the memories and lessen the emotional impact of the ones that were far too entrenched to be taken away. Once satisfied that she'd done what she could, Amaterasu folded her shawl on the ground and encouraged Madara's consciousness down into a deeper sleep before shifting his head over onto the pillow of fabric. Standing, the Goddess watched as a small figure detached itself from the shadows near the door and settled into cuddle with the now peacefully sleeping figure on the floor. 

Smiling, she reached out to run a hand through the shaggy hair. “Look after your brother for me, alright Ryuken? There's something I need to do.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Thank you, dear one.”  
******************************************************************************************************************************

Tobirama was standing in front of the viewing pool, anger visible in every line of his body, when Amaterasu came walking back into the room. “I just have two questions; how soon can we start and do I have time to go and punch the Sage in the face before we do?” 

The Goddess gifted him with a sharp smile. “We can start now and I will _always_ make sure you have time enough for that.” 

With barely a thought, she carefully collected Tobirama's soul before reaching out for the energy that weaved through all aspects of time and space. As the universe reset itself according to Amaterasu's will, the Sun Goddess left to quickly assemble everything else she needed while behind her the surface of the viewing pool rippled and the image of a sleeping Madara slowly disappeared as the events making up the tapestry of time dissolved and began anew.

(For the record, Tobirama had to limit himself to punching the Sage twice, but only because Amaterasu promised he could do it again in the future.)


	3. Lining up the Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter...THIS. CHAPTER. *frustrated screeching* I have literally been working on this since I posted chapter two and the entire process went something like this: 
> 
> Me: This is what I want to write *starts writing*  
> My brain less than 12 hours later: Yeah...sorry but I don't like any of that so we're going to get rid of it and start over.  
> Me: Are you serious?  
> My Brain: Yup. And I'm not going to let you write anything else until you get rid of everything you've done and start over.  
> Me: .....  
> My Brain:.....you know I'm going to win.  
> Me: ...you are such an asshole.  
> My Brain: I know.
> 
> LITERALLY. THIS WAS LITERALLY THE ENTIRE CHAPTER'S WRITING PROCESS. Two steps forward and six steps back with Madara bitching somewhere in the back of my mind about how I needed to finish this crap and get a move on. On the plus side of things, this is officially the last chapter of 'set up' and next chapter is when things really get going. Wheee~
> 
> *The end of the chapter notes will have some explanations and translations for a few things as well as a link to look at something nifty. *grins*

Kana Hatake prided herself on being strong; she fought for her clan and worked to ensure as much prosperity as possible, whether that was by her skill as a Shinobi or pitching in to help hunt and bring in the harvest. She worked hard, played hard and wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted. And what she wanted most was a child. She'd consulted with those amongst her clan who had any knowledge in the healing arts, had even sent a message and met with a medic from the Inuzuka Clan, but none could tell her why she had yet to conceive. She had followed the advice of her mother and her mother's mother; had avoided certain foods and began eating more of some others. She tracked her cycles along with the phases of the moon and worked to become more in tune with both her inner wolf and the nature around her. She did everything that was recommended or guaranteed to work but still, there was no child. So, when all conventional efforts had failed her, Kana turned to the unconventional. 

It wasn't usually the Hatake way to ask any of the Divine for assistance but Kana had tried everything else and she had nothing to lose if it didn't work but a little time and effort. So, early one morning when most of the clan was still asleep, she made the trek deep within the forest that surrounded the Hatake holding to a clearing in which Kana had earlier found and set up a small shrine. On it she placed a variety of offerings: a small loaf of fresh bread, a bottle of sake, a pair of candles and a small bouquet comprised of gladiolas, lilies, almond blooms and lucerne. When the sun had fully cleared the eastern horizon, Kana lit the candles, offered up one final flower, an orange and red lotus blossom, and made her plea. Invoking the name of every deity she'd ever heard of, she repeated her greatest desire over and over and offered her service and fealty in exchange. For hours she remained kneeling in front of the shrine, repeating her prayers, and when the sun had reached its highest point in the sky, she was granted an answer. 

The sounds of the forest around her suddenly went silent and time appeared to stop as a light so bright Kana was forced to cover her eyes filled the clearing. When the light finally dimmed and birdsong could be heard once more, Kana removed her arm and looked at the shrine; the offerings she had so carefully laid out were gone, the candles burned down to mere nubs of beeswax, and in the center of the altar was a bouquet of Pink Lilac, Lilies, White Heather and Marigold. Breath caught in her throat, joy surged in Kana's chest as she babbled out her thanks before carefully gathering up the flowers and running back home. That night, asleep in bed next to her husband, Kana dreamt of a beautiful woman wearing embroidered robes of red and white. Giving her blessing and assurances, she accepted Kana's offer of fealty but only asked three things of her; that she would remain on the look out for, and offer respect, to those born with pale skin and red eyes, as they were meant to work as extensions of her will, that she would teach her child to do the same, and that she would find a wolf pup that would grow with and remain with her child for all of their days. Kana readily agreed and nine and a half months later, she brought a healthy baby girl into the world whom she named Nakano. 

Nakano was everything her mother could have hoped for; strong and smart, she was taught to respect both the Goddess that her mother revered, as well as her emissaries, and in battle she and her wolf companion were vicious in defense of their clan. When the Hatake were approached by the Senju with offers of an alliance, it was that strength and viciousness that caught the attention of the newly elevated clan head, Butsuma. It took two months before an alliance was sealed and another three before Nakano and Butsuma were to be wed. Getting settled into the Senju compound, the only things Nakano brought with her were her wolf, the lessons she learned from her mother and the warmth she'd carried in her chest ever since she was sixteen and had sworn he own fealty to a Goddess with pale skin and red eyes. 

A year later when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy with pale skin and red eyes, only for her husband to try and kill him, she was grateful all over again for all three. Her wolf protected her son, her mother's lessons made it possible for her to push past the pain and exhaustion of the birthing to disarm and eject her husband from her rooms, and her bond with her Goddess pulsed with love and approval, firming her already strong resolve to do everything possible to protect her son. Looking down into eyes that seemed far too old for such a young life, Nakano vowed to do whatever it took to ensure her son got to live the life he wanted and that he would be given the care and respect he was due from her new clan. Pressing a gentle kiss onto her son's forehead, she watched as her wolf resettled herself around the now sleeping babe and went in search of parchment. She was going to have a lot of work to do for the foreseeable future but first she was going to need more wolves.   
***********************************  
Akane Uchiha was by no means a weak woman; born and raised to be a warrior in the ongoing war with the Senju and other roaming clans of Shinobi, she had made it through the gauntlet of too tough missions and bands of child killers and come out the other side stronger for having done so. In fact, if you had asked, she would have said that fighting as a child in a man's war was, without a doubt, the hardest thing she had ever had to do. Until now. Letting out another ear splitting scream as she pushed, Akane decided that trying to give birth was officially the hardest thing she had ever done and the next time she heard a man make a disparaging comment about women, pregnancy, or anything having to do with life in general, she was going to use her Sharingan to trap them in a genjutsu about giving birth. She could even bring out the good sake and invite all the other mothers in the compound to sit around and watch; they could all make a day of it.

Sagging back against the pillows, one of the medic nin took a moment to blot at Akane's forehead with a damp cloth while another used some chakra to check on the status of her baby.

“Stubborn little thing, isn't he?”

Akane let out a tired huff. “He spent the entire pregnancy restless and unable to settle; I figured he just couldn't wait to get out yet when its time to go he's suddenly decided he's too comfortable to move. I guarantee this one is going to grow up to be trouble.”

The medic checking the baby let out a soft laugh. “So, stubborn _and_ contrary; he _is_ going to be trouble.” One more pass of her hand over Akane's rounded stomach and the medic nodded to herself in satisfaction. “Ok, he's positioned well so I'm going to add a bit of coaxing to your next push; hopefully that will do the trick.”

Readying herself for yet another try, Akane waited until she felt another contraction before bearing down once more with a yell loud enough to wake the compound. Finally, with the help of the medic nin, the Uchiha clan heir came into the world, screaming his displeasure and looking quite disgruntled about the entire process.   
**********************************  
All of the clan that could be spared had gathered to witness the introduction and dedication ceremony for their new heir; an event worth celebrating as there had been too many losses and very few births lately. Having a strong heir could only help their clan in the future and as Tajima watched his son while the Kannushi for the Sun Goddess' shrine performed the ceremony, he felt pride well up inside of him. Tajima just knew his son was going to grow up to be a strong leader, he could already see the fire living inside of Madara and there was a surprising amount of determination in him already, as well. His son's apparent determination to hit his Uncle Kanaye anytime the man came near him, for instance, was both surprising and highly amusing to anyone playing witness to the attempts. Smirking to himself, Tajima brought his attention firmly back to the ceremony in time to watch the Kannushi and a pair of Miko invoke the Sun Goddess for her blessings on the new clan heir; the invocation a common practice at the majority of the clan's gatherings, though the reasons and requests varied. Distinctly _NOT_ common, however, was the bright light that surrounded his son as the entreaty ended, nor were the orchids now grouped on either side of the altar; a colorful jumble of red, orange, yellow, and green that drew the eyes and left no mistake that their Goddess had heard them and responded.

There was a moment of stunned silence before the Kannushi hit his knees in shock and everyone gathered seemed to start talking at once, the voices of the Elders rising above them all. The only voice Tajima cared about at the moment, however, was that of his wife who, after having rushed onto the dais and scooping Madara up, had let out a cry of surprise. Leaping the distance between them, Tajima opened his mouth to ask what was wrong only to close it with a snap and stare as his son opened his eyes and a Magekyou Sharingan unlike any he'd ever seen before stared back.  
************************************

The rest of the day had passed in somewhat of a blur; once word had gotten around about Madara's eyes, it was all anyone had been able to talk about. Speculation had been running rampant about what it would mean for the heir and, to a greater degree, what it would mean for the clan. Once the medic nin had examined Madara, assuring Akane and himself that their son was fine and that there was no discernible strain on his immature chakra pathways, Akane had promptly retreated with the babe to the family quarters within the main house and Tajima had been besieged by various members of the clan. Not everyone had been thrilled with this unexpected development and some had even shown an uncharacteristic fear; Tajima had done his best to allay everyone's concerns but he wasn't sure how well he'd done seeing as how he was still feeling unsettled himself. His latest escape was from his brother, Kanaye, who had done nothing but talk about how this was surely a sign that the Uchiha would finally triumph over the Senju and would be renowned as the most powerful clan of Shinobi in the Land of Fire. While Tajima found the idea of using his heir as nothing more than a weapon personally distasteful, the war with the Senju had been ongoing for generations and the thought of being able to decisively end it _was_ incredibly appealing. 

Beyond ready for some peace and quiet, Tajima entered the family quarters and shut the door behind him with a sigh before he removed his shoes and went in search of Akane. Heading in the direction of his wife's favored sitting room, Tajima could see the lamps had been lit and was gratified to find his guess had been right; he was less thrilled with the sounds of tableware clinking and quiet conversation drifting out past the door as that meant Akane wasn't alone as he had been expecting. Grimacing at the thought of yet another 'helpful' conversation this evening, Tajima nevertheless attempted a mildly pleasant expression and entered the room with a greeting on his lips only to choke on the words as he laid eyes on his wife's guest. Sitting serenely with Madara held securely in one arm and looking every bit the Goddess that she actually was, was Amaterasu. Turning her head towards the door at his entrance, Amaterasu gave him a wide smile.

“Tajima. How nice of you to join us.” She motioned to an empty seat at the table before continuing. “Come and have some tea while I go over what I expect from you in regards to my blessing.” Her grin widened and turned almost feral. “I wouldn't want there to be any _unfortunate misunderstandings_.”

Tajima shuddered as a chill rolled over him and as he moved to do as his clan's Patroness requested, he had a feeling that by the time this day had come to an end nothing would ever be the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower Meanings:
> 
> *Gladiolas: receptive to divine will   
> *Almond blooms: Hope   
> *Lucerne: life  
> *Lotus: Fertility
> 
> *Pink Lilac: Acceptance   
> *Lilies: sympathy   
> *White Heather: wishes will come true   
> *Marigold: Sun
> 
> *Orchid Colors: Red- Strength & courage  
> *Orange- Pride  
> *Yellow- New Beginnings  
> *Green- Good Fortune and Blessings
> 
> *Nakano: Strength  
> *Akane: beautiful red  
> *Kannushi: Priest  
> *Miko: shrine maiden  
> *Kanaye: zealous one
> 
> What Madara's eyes look like only with red and black:  
> https://www.pinterest.com/pin/808888783042086602/

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes for anyone unfamiliar with the Sage of Six Paths and his sons, Asura and Indra, this is what you need to know: the Sage is an asshole manipulator who has consistently played with the reincarnation cycle of his sons to the detriment of pretty much everyone and everything. Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were Asura and Indra reborn (canon) and for the purposes of this story, they are both the latest in the reincarnation cycle. Canon events will be briefly discussed using the sons' original names but past this first chapter, they will simply be referred to by their current identities of Hashirama and Madara.


End file.
